Lemon Blueberry Sweet Rolls

 

Lemon Blueberry Sweet Rolls from Crazy for Crust

*I used the sweet roll recipe from America's Test Kitchen found here.  I reduced the amount of milk to 2/3 c  and added zest and lemon juice just like in the original recipe. Next time I would double the amount of filling (not blueberries) to get a little more lemon flavor coming through.  I used her cream cheese  frosting recipe and really liked it.  I used regular blueberries and they were big as far as blueberries go. When I sliced the dough into individual rolls some of the blueberries were cut and looked a little like olives. I just turned over any blueberries that had been sliced so they still looked like berries.  I made them the night before I needed them and baked them the following morning after letting them sit out and rise.  Turned out great!

Lemon Blueberry Sweet Rolls (taken directly from the website)

Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours 20 minutes plus overnight rising

I used my favorite cinnamon roll recipe and turned it into a lemon sweet roll with blueberries! This is the perfect recipe to use up your lemon stash and it'll make the cold morning feel like spring!

Ingredients:

For the Dough:

• 2/3 cup warm non-fat milk (think hot bath water, about 45 seconds in the microwave)
• 1 package active dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
• 1/3 cup + 1/2 teaspoon sugar, divided
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest (from 1 medium lemon)
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from 1 medium lemon)
• 3 - 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• Paddle attachment & dough hook for your mixer

For the Filling:

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest (from 1-2 medium lemons)
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1-2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen (if frozen, make sure they are thawed and drained), see note

For the Frosting:

• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 2 ounces cream cheese, very soft
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• Pinch salt
• 3-4 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Directions:

Make the Dough:

1. Place milk in a microwave safe measuring cup. Heat for 45 seconds in the microwave, until it’s about 120°F, think hot bathwater. (The time you heat it will need to be adjusted depending on your microwave. You can use a candy or a meat thermometer to test the temperature.) Add yeast and 1/2 teaspoon sugar and stir. Let it sit for a few minutes until frothy.
2. Place sugar, butter, salt, lemon juice, lemon zest, and egg in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix until the butter is distributed throughout the liquids, although it may be chunky. Pour in the milk/yeast mixture and stir for a few seconds.
3. Add 3 cups flour and stir with the paddle attachment just until the mixture starts to stick to the paddle. Then replace the paddle with the dough hook. Continue mixing on low speed until the dough forms a ball in the center of the bowl. The dough will be slightly sticky and elastic. There will be minimal transfer to your finger if you poke it. If it’s still very wet, add up to 1/4 cup more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time.
4. Spray a large bowl with cooking spray and place the dough in it. Spray the top of the dough ball with cooking spray (lightly) and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let sit for 2-4 hours until it doubles in size. Note on rising: if your house is warm, it should rise no problem. If it’s cold in your house, it may take longer for the dough to rise.

Prepare your Rolls:

1. Stir together butter, sugar, lemon zest, salt and flour until it forms a paste.
2. Once the dough is risen, roll it out on a lightly floured surface into a large rectangle, about 10” by 14”. Spread the filling as evenly as possible over the rectangle, making sure to reach to the sides so the outer rolls have enough filling. Sprinkle with blueberries. I used 1 cup of mini (or “wild”) blueberries that were defrosted and drained. If you’re using regular sized berries, you might want to use more of them.
3. Roll the dough up tightly from the long end. Slice it into 12 equal rounds. Place the rolls into a 9x13” pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray.
4. Cover the rolls with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. (Or, if you want to make them  the same day, cover with plastic wrap and let them sit for 1 hour until they’ve puffed up a little, then continue as directed below.)
5. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350°F. Remove the rolls from the refrigerator and let them warm up to room temperature while the oven is preheating. Remove the plastic wrap and bake for 23-28 minutes, or until they are golden brown. (Mine took 24, be careful not to over bake. The bottoms will turn golden before the tops do.) Note: the blueberries will drain to the bottom of the pan overnight. That’s not a problem.

Make the frosting:

1. Whisk the melted butter and softened cream cheese until mostly smooth. If your cream cheese is too stiff, you can use a hand mixer. Whisk/beat in powdered sugar and 3 teaspoons lemon juice, adding more as desired for thickness. Pour over warm rolls and serve.

Notes:

Note about blueberries: I prefer to use mini blueberries in my baking, as it's what my family prefers. They are often labeled "wild" and they are smaller than normal berries. You can often find them at Trader Joe's or Whole Foods. You can use regular sized berries, fresh or frozen, but make sure frozen berries are thawed and drained. Use 1-2 cups, deepening on how many berries you want in your rolls.